Romeo & Juliet: Duel Monster Style
by Pen Alchemist
Summary: When the Duel Academy decides to put on the infamous Shakespeare written play, Jaden and Alexis end up being the tragic romantic couple. But while they rehearse a plot is being formed to steal their spirit keys. What will break first? Hearts or Bones?
1. Casting Call

**Romeo & Juliet: Duel Monster Style**

_Act 1: Casting Call_

"So… what's this supposed to be again?" Jaden Yuki asked his friend for the thirteenth time. Syrus sighed.

"I told you Jaden, a poster for the production of _'Romeo and Juliet.'_" The blue haired Slifer continued to stare with undaunted concentration at the poster, painting a very messy letter.

Making an exaggerated effort to turn his head sideways, the brown-haired Slifer could not make out the wording no matter how hard he tried. Syrus never had the best handwriting; he always relied on the school supplied laptops.

"Why don't you let Chumley make the signs?"

"No way, he's in charge of scenery and costumes."

Jaden sighed. "Let me help at least."

It took awhile but Jaden finally was able to make Sy's signs legible and offered to help his friend hang them around the school.

"So why Romeo and Juliet? This is a dueling academy," Jaden said as he tried in vein to reach up above the doorway to hang their newly made (and improved) banner. Syrus seemed to be having more difficulty on the other end so he couldn't complain.

"Well, it's not exactly like the play because the Romeo and Juliet are," Syrus snickered, "duel monsters!"

Jaden could feel gravity pulling him down, but steadied himself against the wall. "Huh?'

"Yup! Romeo is played by the infamous Dark Magician and Juliet," Syrus sighed, forgetting his current job and getting a dreamy look in his eye, "is the Dark Magician Girl!"

Shaking his head at his love struck friend, Jaden didn't judge Syrus's crush on a fictional character on a card, but didn't doubt that it was possible. Especially since he had participated in the duel against the actual card and saw her spirit next to him. He supported his friend, no matter how unusual it seemed.

"Jaden! Be care—"

But it was too late, the unfortunate Dr. Crowler had stepped under the doorway just as Jaden had tripped and caught himself against the wall but not the banner.

"Jaden Yuki!" the indignant cry rang out from beneath the banner. In attempt to take the banner off, Dr. Crowler ripped the actual banner to shreds, but he didn't care. And his least favorite students soon realized why. It seemed the paint hadn't dried all the way so Crowler's face was covered in colored streaks, a look of pure anger resonating his features. "In my office! Now! You too Syrus Truesdale!"

"Aw man," was the only thing Syrus was able to say before silenced by a death glare from their teacher. It was silent until they arrived to Crowler's office.

Although, instead of Crowler, a woman was sitting behind his desk, causing the teacher to gawk in horror that someone other than him was in his seat of power. She was tall and slender with wild brown hair and horn-rimmed glasses. When the three entered, she got up and ran towards the horrified teacher with her arms open.

"Crowler-baby!" she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "It's been too-too-too long!"

"Genevieve!" Dr. Crowler exclaimed, horrified. "Wh-what are _you _doing here!"

Jaden and Syrus exchanged looks.

"Who's she?" Jaden whispered to his equally mystified friend.

"Beats me, but I have seen her around arguing and bullying the stage crew. I guess she's the director."

The woman who was Genevieve pouted her lips when she drew away from Crowler. "Crowler-baby, I'm hurt."

"So is she with Crowler or something?"

"Ugh, don't, just the thought makes me ill!"

"You don't even remember that your own sister is going to be directing the upcoming event?"

Both boys breathed a sigh of relief.

"Of course not, Genevieve," Crowler said nervously, "I was just surprised that—that you knew where my office was."

Shaking a finger in his face, Genevieve seemed upset. "I am too! You promised you would show me around as soon as I got here! But," she started crying, startling everyone in the room, "I guess you don't care about your ickle sissy!"

Watching the bawling lady with interest, the boys seemed to have forgotten why they were there in the first place.

"Please, Genevieve, this is ridicu—I mean, this isn't—Please stop crying!" Crowler seemed helpless, as the woman's incessant weeping grew louder. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I promise I'll show you around as soon as I punish these students!"

Then, like magic, the tears seemed to fly away, as Genevieve smiled widely and hugged her brother, giving both Syrus and Jaden a bad feeling in their stomach. Looking over Crowler's stiff shoulder, she eyed the two boys and then a knewer, shaper look took over, making both of them take a step back.

"Oh Crowler-baby! You can't punish them! They're perfect!" she squealed, releasing her uncomfortable-looking brother and then stepping up to the boys, eyeing them.

"My dear sister, they are far from—"

"No! They _are_ perfect!" She pinched Jaden's cheeks and stretched them to unnatural lengths. "Don't you see it Crowler-baby? It's Romeo! He's perfect! Perfect! Perfect!" Letting go of her death grip, Jaden's cheeks seemed to sag. Then it was poor Syrus's turn as she wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed hard. "And him! It's Paris! Paris I say! Oh how perfectly perfect their perfection has perfectly fit into my play! Paris! Romeo! To costumes I say! To costumes!"

Stunned into silence, Jaden and Syrus were dragged towards the stage, watching Crowler's dumbstruck and discolored face grow smaller until they made a turn.

—

"I can't believe you two got like the major male parts in the entire play!" Chumley gushed jealously as the three friends headed back to the dorm.

"I'm just glad we never heard Crowler's punishment," Syrus said, hanging his head, his eyelids drooping. It had been a big day. The first thing Genevieve had done was have them fitted for their costumes, seamstresses poking needles and when she thought they weren't doing it right _she_ poked them with needles even harder. Then they were put through what Genevieve had called acting exercises which ended up being excruciatingly painful poses and saying phrases like 'Unique New York' among other things.

"Why can't this Shakespeare guy talk in English?" Jaden complained as he tried to read the script.

"Jaden, you have it upside down."

"Oh, hey! Thanks Sy!"

"I'm surprised Jaden got the role of Romeo."

"Why's that Chumley?"

"Don't you know who's playing Juliet?"

"Um. No."

"Alexis Rhodes!"

"Alexis? Cool."

Syrus looked at his friend. "I'm surprised you aren't nervous Jaden."

"Hmm?" he said distantly, still trying in vein to read the script.

"Well, um… Romeo and Juliet…"

"What Sy?"

"…Never mind, you'll figure it out sooner or later," Syrus said, thinking it would be best that he not tell his friend just yet. It would certainly be an interesting chemistry with the cast…

—

"Is it set my minions?" the dark figure in the shroud of shadows asked, a malevolent flashing of fangs flashed in the dark.

"Yes my ruler. The key keepers shall be at our mercy. We've made sure of it."

"Then let the show go on!"

—

**Authors Notes:** Well, there's the first chapter. I hope I kept everyone in character. And next chapter we'll shed a little light on our enemies and Jaden will get to rehearse the infamous balcony scene with Alexis. How will Genevieve Jaden's contributions? Find out in _Act II: Romeo, Romeo, Remember Your Lines!_


	2. Romeo, Romeo, Remember Your Lines!

**Romeo & Juliet: Duel Monster Style**

_Act II: Romeo, Romeo, Remember Your Lines!_

"The tides are changing in our favor," the shadow said seductively. "Soon the pieces will fall into place."

A deck of cards was the only object visible, surrounded by the shadow that had spoken. "It is time my servants of the darkness, for the Gods to be awakened! Come to me: Curse of Dragon!" the shadow cried defiant. Black shadowy tendrils stirred backward, a blast of dark energy releasing from the dueling deck.

Forming, the dark energy took shape in a grotesque monster, a fang and bone dragon with fearsome jaws and thin wings. It gave a roar, saliva dripping from its mouth.

"Are you hungry my pet?" the shadow said, also forming into the shape of a seductress, but only as a silhouette. It started petting the dragon's bone yellow skull. "Then I have a task for you…"

x

"Jaden as Romeo?" Alexis looked up, surprised from her distant world of studying. Mindy and Jasmin squealed again (Alexis counted for the fifth time), excited that they were able to get their friend's nose out of the books. It was a snow day and only Bastion seemed to share Alexis's enthusiasm for books while the rest of the school lounged inside or flung snowballs at each other.

"Yes! _And_ Syrus is going to be Paris, you're fiancé, it's so cute!" cooed Jasmin. Sipping hot chocolate that her friends had brought with them, Alexis thought for a moment, ignoring the incessant prattle of her friends.

"I guess there could be worse picks," she said cryptically, her friends exchanging knowing looks. The queen of the Obelisk dorm was not good at hiding things, but they wouldn't push, not yet any way.

An unusual silence stretched over the room, broken only by the distant shouts outside the bay window.

"Why didn't Zane try out?" Mindy asked thoughtfully.

"He's away with the headmaster to represent our school at a convention. And do really think that Zane looks like a drama king?" Alexis responded with no hesitation.

"No." The two friends agreed that the series Zane could not put on a costume and masquerade as another for other people's amusement, although the thought was funny.

Alexis's phone rang, making the friends jump at the catchy ring tone, and she answered with one-word answers and hung up.

"Emergency rehearsal, main characters only," she said quickly as Mindy started to open her mouth. (She had been cast as a minor character in the play.)

Running out of the room, Alexis left her friends to chat about things that were not for her ears.

x

When Alexis walked into the auditorium, Genevieve was sobbing (again) only this time for joy over Chumely's scenery with Chumely standing proudly next to her.

"It's beautiful! Magnifico! (That's Italian you know.) Perfect! Perfect! Perfect!"

Taking off her winter jacket and putting it in a chair, she waited for the (to quote Genevieve) "perfect" moment to intervene. It came sooner than she thought it would when a sand bag dropped dangerously close to the director, who jumped dramatically in Chumley's arms, causing the pair to topple over.

Rushing to help her director and fellow student, Alexis was able to pull the flailing Genevieve from Chumely with extreme difficulty. By that time the entire stage crew had to pitch in.

After recovering, Genevieve was quick to give every boy on the rescue team a big sloppy kiss and all the girls a bone crushing hug. Alexis knew she would be ruing the bruises that would show the next morning.

"Genevieve!" an angry yell broke through the bustling of the stage crew as they continued to get the stage to agree to Genevieve's "perfect" standards. Everyone turned to the entrance to see a disheveled and snow covered Crowler holding a sheepish-looking Jaden and Syrus, a glower fixed onto his painted face.

"I believe _these _belong to you?" he asked rhetorically, throwing them to his so-called sister. Syrus tried to recover by apologizing, "It was an accident professor, honest!"

"It really was Ms. Genevieve," said Jaden. "I was aiming for Syrus's head, but he ducked and Crowler was behind him and well…"

Alexis got the gist of the rest as she looked onto a Crowler covered in half-melted snow. But Genevieve waved off her brother's protest with a flick of her wrist. "Now, now Crowler-baby, no upsetting the stars of my soon to be award-winning (not to mention perfect) play. Now onto the rehearsal!" she proclaimed dramatically and ushered Jaden, Syrus, and Alexis to the stage, leaving an astonished Crowler outside of the closed auditorium doors.

"Jaden, this is the infamous balcony scene! Now read your lines!"

"Jaden!" hissed Syrus from the audience, "Your script is up-side down!"

"Oh!" said Jaden, enlightened. Turning his script around he began: "Er…but soft! Um, what light through winder breaks it?"

"Cut! Cut! Cut, cut, cut, cut, cut!" yelled Genevieve, now standing and waving her arms like a traffic controller. "It is: But soft! What light through yonder window breaks! It is the east, and Juliet is the sun!"

"Yeah, but what are the _lines?_" asked an ignorant Romeo, causing the director to fall promptly over. Alexis and Syrus sighed at their naïve friend. Genevieve for the first time must've realized her mistake at casting without auditions. (We told her so!)

After taking several times to explain to Jaden that Shakespeare didn't talk in real English and this it was very important that he say it _exactly_ like it was on the script (and showed him how to read it) they were ready… sort of…

"Romeo! Romeo! Where art thou?" shouted Jaden at the top of his lungs. And then they moved on how he had _specific _lines as well. And finally…

Jaden stood poised under the temporary balcony (a stack of cardboard boxes) and said almost in an English accent:

"He jests at scars that never felt a wound!" (Alexis entered.)

"But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?

It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.

Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,

Who is already sick and pale with grief,

That thou her maid art far more fair than she:

Be not her maid, since she is envious;

Her vestal livery is but sick and green

And none but fools do wear it; cast it off.

It is my lady, O, it is my love!

O, that she knew she were!

She speaks yet she says nothing: what of that?

Her eye discourses; I will answer it.

I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks:

Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,

Having some business, do entreat her eyes

To twinkle in their spheres till they return.

What if her eyes were there, they in her head?

The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars,

As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven

Would through the airy region stream so bright

That birds would sing and think it were not night.

See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand!

O, that I were a glove upon that hand,

That I might touch that cheek!"

Jaden jumped heroically up to where Alexis was standing, who (along with everyone else in the audience) was in awe. She looked down dumbstruck at a smiling Jaden and felt her cheeks color. Genevieve, for once, was also stricken dumb, and Syrus and Chumley seemed to have unhinged their jaws when they dropped them.

Alexis, however, did not notice any of these as Jaden's brown eyes locked her cobalt ones. Not sure if Jaden realized what he had just said, the Obelisk Queen couldn't help wonder why his face was looking closer and closer. And why was she filled with a desire to… kiss him?

Unable to pull away from what seemed a gravitational pull, Alexis and Jaden moved closer… closer… until…

"Help!" A cry followed by a scream echoed through the auditorium, breaking the invisible pull between the two friends and causing them to loose balance. In the remains of the cardboard balcony, Jaden tried to help unearth Alexis.

"Young man," Genevieve said, approaching upon the unfortunate boy who did not know what to do: cower in fear of the woman who was fast approaching or from what he was screaming about in the first place.

He chose the latter.

"Two students have been attacked by-by a monster! The whole school is going into a lock down!"

Almost on instinct Jaden, Syrus, Chumley and Alexis looked at each other. A monster? Rushing out before Genevieve or the boy could say anything, they immediately ran into Bastian. "Ah, you've heard. You better come and see this, especially you Jaden."

Bundling in their coats, the friends were lead deep into the forest, to an astonishing site. Crowler and the principal were already there.

"Slifer-Slackers! Bastion," Crowler huffed, "I told you to get other teachers."

"Trust me Professor, this is the best you could ever ask for," Bastion waved him off and slipped passed his superiors without so much as a glance, surprising everyone. "Look," was the only thing he said, pointing to the scene.

Alexis gasped, "What in the--?"

Two trees were cut off from their trunks, their bark looked as if had been bitten repeatedly and clawed at. Papers and a torn book bag were sprawled in the snow accompanied by splotches of red blood.

"Professor, what could've done this? We don't have any wild animals bigger than rabbits on the island!"

"I-I don't know sir," stuttered Crowler. The scene was disturbing to see, and the students, for once seemed on Crowler's side to get far away from it as possible.

"Who was attacked?" Alexis asked the boy who had alerted them (Genevieve was standing menacingly over his shoulder with a vice grip on his arm).

"Um, two Obelisk students: Mindy and um… Jasmin."

Alexis paled. "Are they okay."

"Yeah, at least Jasmin is, the blood is Mindy's. She was sent to intensive care."

That was all it took.

X

_Author's Notes: Ta da! The long awaited chapter is finally up! Jaden and Alexis almost kissed, will they ever kiss? And what about the shadows? Will they get what they desire?_


End file.
